David De La Cruz joins Team Astana
Spanish rider David De La Cruz is set to join the Kazakh Team Astana where he will spend the two following seasons of 2022 and 2023. The 32-year-old is well-known as a strong climber and stage race specialist, finishing seventh in the General Classification of La Vuelta on three occasions, including the 2021 edition.
“I am really happy to join Team Astana from the upcoming season. I didn’t have any doubts and made quite a quick decision when Alexandr Vinokurov came to me with an offer to join his team. I feel like Astana is the team that perfectly suits me, but at the same time, it is the team I suit as a rider. I really like the team’s style, its attacking character, ambitions, and its focus on the General Classification. So, I am sure that I will be able to fit in well with this team. Of course, I understand that the first season in a new team may not be easy, I will have to go through a certain period of adaptation, but I hope that it will be a short one and I will become an integral part of the group quickly. I am sure that together with the management we will be able to plan a good race program where I will have an opportunity to help the team to reach its important goals and where I will get a chance to achieve some personal results. Perhaps, I will have a chance to go for the General Classification at La Vuelta or even at the Giro, but, first of all, I am ready to follow the team strategy and the plans to achieve great successes together with Astana”, – said David De La Cruz.
Alongside a few good podium places and some Top-10 results in the GC of various stage races, David De La Cruz has scored several important wins in his career. The Spaniard’s palmarès includes stage wins at La Vuelta (2016), Itzulia Basque Country (2017), Paris-Nice (2017, 2018) and Vuelta a Andalucia (2018).
In the current season of 2021, De La Cruz took a strong second place in the individual time trial of the Spanish National Championships, was fourth in the General Classification of the Tour de Luxembourg, finished fifth at the Vuelta a Burgos, and impressed with seventh overall at La Vuelta.
“David is an experienced and complete rider who can strengthen our team in terms of stage races. It's not just about the Grand Tours, but also about week-long stage races. He looks strong in the mountains, he likes to attack, and he feels comfortable enough in the time trial races, where he is not only able to defend his positions, but also to gain time on the rivals. This is a good reinforcement for us, so we will be able to use David in team tactics at certain races, Grand Tours, but we are also ready to give him some freedom and chances to prove himself in those races that will fit his characteristics”, – said Aleksandr Vinokurov, 2022 Team Astana General Manager.
Photo credit: @Gettysport
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